tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post6626611991397563273..comments2017-12-13T20:47:32.016-05:00Comments on Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle: Old swing digger - FRIDAY May 22 2009 - M Nosowsky (Lens grinding Dutch philosopher / Celestial neighbor of Scorpius / 100ths of a krona)Rex Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145707733877505087noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76650850028084829642009-06-27T00:19:23.147-04:002009-06-27T00:19:23.147-04:00@Anonymous 4:58pm (why doesn&#39;t the date appear...@Anonymous 4:58pm (why doesn&#39;t the date appear? comment may be in syndicate time): naw, the 1956 film (filmed in Todd-AO, no less) starred David Niven as Phileas Fogg, not Phineas.<br /><br />Fine puzzle - may be an age thing but Rhodesia and Hepcat were easy, O Canada was a gimme for obvious reasons and except for the southwest, I wouldn&#39;t have considered it challenging for a Friday. Also, Norma is a pretty insignificant constellation - surely a Marilyn Monroe clue instead would have been more fun.Waxy in Montrealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04395751487137805245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-6560238583974591942009-06-26T22:59:05.453-04:002009-06-26T22:59:05.453-04:00ITSALULU??? WTF??? What a stretch.
I had the LULU...ITSALULU??? WTF??? What a stretch.<br />I had the LULU part from solving that botto, corner but still didnt get it. Once i got the lulu part i got even more confused and decided this puzzle was bunk.<br />I admit, there were some good, clever clues in there, and xome of the ones you seemed to have trouble with i got right away (such as pan-hellenic when all i had was the P from Pele).<br />The &quot;etailed&quot; answer was particularly irksome too,<br />As was &quot;cant say as i have&quot; - shouldnt it be cant say i have or cant say that i have??? <br />Oh, and the so as too also bothered me. I don&#39;t mind a challenge in the clues and answers, and even being vague is alright (such as _ bread... i felt good once i got some letters and realized it was raisin), but some of these just went to stupid or just felt like too much of a stretch... Once i saw what the answers were i was pretty glad i didnt get some of themAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-89900571626782706442009-06-26T16:58:10.060-04:002009-06-26T16:58:10.060-04:00FYI, the old 50&#39;s movie with David Niven had t...FYI, the old 50&#39;s movie with David Niven had the hero as Phineas Fogg, but Jules Verne named the guy Phileas. I saw the movie first as a kid, then read the book later and the name change struck me, so I knew the correct name for the puzzle. But movies seem to stick in the collective consciousness better than books...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-22063322456573194232009-05-26T13:02:40.699-04:002009-05-26T13:02:40.699-04:00It's Tuesday, I cheated on at least 8 answers and ...It's Tuesday, I cheated on at least 8 answers and even with the solution it took me a while to 'get' the meaning of some of these answers. RELINES? That's a clever, sneaky, barely valid STRETCH. I also didn't like the combo of SO AS TO and CAN'T SAY AS I HAVE. Even with the solution I couldn't quite bring my head into that second one. This was a major challenge and is a great reason to keep puzzling, but my head hurts!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-39860911057037770402009-05-23T11:14:11.748-04:002009-05-23T11:14:11.748-04:00@ Michael G -
"hasn't everyone heard that Spinoz...@ Michael G - <br /><br />"hasn't everyone heard that Spinoza was a lens grinder?"<br /><br />Obviously not I.retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-17758047645989091342009-05-23T03:40:20.471-04:002009-05-23T03:40:20.471-04:00Age and being born in Urbana helped on this one. I...Age and being born in Urbana helped on this one. I know several authors of Port Huron statement (and have read it) . Remember Bechuanaland from old maps, although there were both Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zambia and Zimbabwe respectively) and remember the discovery of the Piltdown forgery. Also Phileas, I think from previous crosswords. And hasn't everyone heard that Spinoza was a lens grinder? I have often seen/heard it mentioned. Other answers came a bit slower, but this is clearly an old-timers' puzzle (if not too old).MIchael Gnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37855633034427257082009-05-23T00:48:59.416-04:002009-05-23T00:48:59.416-04:00I like Manny's puzzles and usually don't find them...I like Manny's puzzles and usually don't find them hard. This puzzle was no exception -- it was a relatively easy Friday for me. Great clues and answers.<br /><br /> I wish someone could say more or less why some constructors/solvers are on the same wave length and others aren't. I don't think it is entirley or even mostly knowledge -- instead it seems related to cluing and wordplay.michaelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9314889166233811612009-05-22T23:27:58.643-04:002009-05-22T23:27:58.643-04:00@fikink
It's official...I've spent too much time o...@fikink<br />It's official...I've spent too much time on this blog today...I misspelled my own name in the last comment!<br /><br />I mean, 28 minutes doing the puzzle, an hour reading folks' responses<br />(mysteriously there were exactly 69 when I originally checked in),<br />another however long writing my little nonsense...<br />and, like, FIVE HOURS still smiling whenever I think about<br />Rex writing (Re: RAISIN bread)<br />"Thanks for the help, clue."<br /><br />hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee.<br />OK, three and get a life.that's andrea "not Mrs." michaelshttp://acmenaming.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-37500310163014274502009-05-22T21:50:44.982-04:002009-05-22T21:50:44.982-04:00Don't forget Phineas of A Separate Peace.
Didn't ...Don't forget Phineas of A Separate Peace.<br /><br />Didn't EVERYBODY have to read that one?fikinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06324570637549775751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-15298519011487594392009-05-22T21:13:28.347-04:002009-05-22T21:13:28.347-04:00OK, I blink...
I was kidding about her eight child...OK, I blink...<br />I was kidding about her eight children. Julia Roberts has but three...new son Henry Daniel and the twins, Hazel and Phinnaeus<br />(crazy spelling = shades of Amoebae!) now called Finn.<br />Phineas is from Hebrew for "oracle"...<br />Not to be confused with Phineas T. Barnum...who said, "there's a sucker born every minute" (to Angelina Jolie!andrea L ron mochaelsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-80801962666722073782009-05-22T20:37:39.499-04:002009-05-22T20:37:39.499-04:00To whom it may concern:
Re: The perceived sexual ...To whom it may concern:<br /><br />Re: The perceived sexual innuendos this week:<br /><br />Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.<br /><br />.../Glitch<br /><br />PS: but ain't it fun to assume otherwise?<br /><br />.../gGlitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14940000404613329056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-68510964200248032852009-05-22T20:17:07.836-04:002009-05-22T20:17:07.836-04:00@ ACME - I'm here in and out - on and off- most of...@ ACME - I'm here in and out - on and off- most of the day. Such is the retired life, especially when one does a LOT of other work on one's computer....retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-49373748818486401632009-05-22T20:16:23.364-04:002009-05-22T20:16:23.364-04:00Thank you, Rex, for the Bolero. Terrific music to...Thank you, Rex, for the Bolero. Terrific music to accompany a lovely puzzle. Thank you, Mr. Nosowsky!Lisa in Kingstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15793732995251623365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-76515011475085576002009-05-22T20:07:48.463-04:002009-05-22T20:07:48.463-04:00@Retired_Chemist: Seems very possible that the PI...@Retired_Chemist: Seems very possible that the PILTDOWN MAN hoax was conceived after downing a few pints. I thought PINTDOWN MAN looked perfectly fine in the puzzle. <br /><br />@ACM--yes, I'm sure Julia Roberts is responsible for planting the PHINIAS bug in my ear. I had forgotten that she named one of her babies Phinias or Phinnias?PlantieBeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01960277851368508036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-35849881515430043992009-05-22T19:45:28.647-04:002009-05-22T19:45:28.647-04:00I only knew Urbana from "Some Like It Hot"I only knew Urbana from "Some Like It Hot"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-31889784243699405592009-05-22T19:38:58.456-04:002009-05-22T19:38:58.456-04:00Mazel tov, youda Manny, you hepcat you! It's a lul...Mazel tov, youda Manny, you hepcat you! It's a lulu! <br /><br />Yes, I had PHINEAS but I blame Julia Roberts, I think she named one of her eight children that...with two n's no less, if I'm not mistaken, but refuse to google ANYTHING about her or this puzzle!<br /><br />I had OCARINA for quite a while for the whole face-off thing, thinking it was some weird Hillbilly musical contest...<br />(which leads me to the one thing I hated in this puzzle: INSTR.)<br /><br />@retired chemist<br />You're still here?<br />Loved learning so much from this... I echo your whole Who Knew? sentiment. e.g. Beuchuanaland<br /><br />@Elaine <br />Thanks, for pointing out it's also the former name of Botswana! NEVER heard of it, even tho I recently researched a trivia question about former names in Africa. <br />Sounds like some punchline for a joke about "Bet You Want this land" to some white colonist)<br /><br />@Artlvr<br />Totally with you on not mixing and matching parts of AMOEBAE and AMEBAS!!!<br /><br />@Clark<br />You're STARTING you SIS on a Friday Manny puzzle? Wow!<br />Another blow for Mondays! ;)<br /><br />@dk, et aliA<br />As for sixtynine (I can't can't say as I have)(TMI?) will directly ask Manny what he had in mind and see who wins the blushing contest.<br />There's a lot of TAIL in this puzzle if you count ETAILED, IN DETAIL, and ETALIA (sort of).<br /><br />Lots of subconscious sexual things going on...Even slowed me down for TENOR SAX as I had TENORS_X and since Bolero was the theme music of Bo Derek running down the beach in "TEN", I parsed it as TEN OR SEX for more than a split second.<br /><br />On my 40th birthday cake (that I embarrassingly had to buy myself... my mother ordered it from a local bakery and the bakers asked ME what I wanted on it when I went to pick it up. <br />Seemed too creepy to have to request that it say, "Happy Birthday, Andrea!" so I settled for "NOW WHAT?")<br />(And now, ten years later...the sentiment is the same!)andrea acey michaelshttp://acmenamng.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-9972056042284465902009-05-22T19:15:43.430-04:002009-05-22T19:15:43.430-04:00@ PlantieBea - was PINTDOWNMAN "discovered" in a B...@ PlantieBea - was PINTDOWNMAN "discovered" in a Britisn pub?retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-32894928680804089762009-05-22T18:31:34.539-04:002009-05-22T18:31:34.539-04:00Whew, that was tough. I ended up with Pintdownman...Whew, that was tough. I ended up with Pintdownman and Phinias. I started with ninety six but made the switch after getting tenor sax. I loved the cluing for this puzzle, but the whole thing felt like Saturday to me. Perfect write-up, Rex.PlantieBeahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01960277851368508036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-82697532211317886812009-05-22T18:18:14.105-04:002009-05-22T18:18:14.105-04:00@ mac - exactly. Who knew Spinoza ground lenses fo...@ mac - exactly. Who knew <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baruch_Spinoza" REL="nofollow">Spinoza</A> ground lenses for a living?retired_chemisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13181126754941899228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-18082215079767356242009-05-22T18:09:53.505-04:002009-05-22T18:09:53.505-04:00I thought Rex was going to go all Cockring on the ...I thought Rex was going to go all Cockring on the SIXTYNINE, but it shows that frustration leads to restraint. Or is that the other way around? <br /><br />LESS TAR took a while to see, and the folksiness of the middle 15er was a bit difficult to peict together, but no Manny torture here today.fergushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17056002311944010536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-902308443897853182009-05-22T18:07:34.550-04:002009-05-22T18:07:34.550-04:00@r_c: you are right, of course. On the other hand,...@r_c: you are right, of course. On the other hand, Spinoza isn't exactly known first for his optics. After reading the wikipedia article about him, I realize I lived very close to his temple, the old Portugese synagog in Amsterdam. Huijgens lived in or around The Hague (check his wiki out!).machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-85099540020157669332009-05-22T17:47:44.838-04:002009-05-22T17:47:44.838-04:00Awesome puzzle. Had to Google. Never heard of PILT...Awesome puzzle. Had to Google. Never heard of PILTDOWN MAN, so <I>Pintdown Man</I> sounded just fine. Yay, Manny!PuzzleGirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06835502266781516627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-81362402339680557072009-05-22T16:59:50.950-04:002009-05-22T16:59:50.950-04:00@glitch: well, there you go :-)@glitch: well, there you go :-)pochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08861361305246858918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-67007734820775624122009-05-22T16:45:37.541-04:002009-05-22T16:45:37.541-04:00@poc
For every dollar I charge on my reward card,...@poc<br /><br />For every dollar I charge on my reward card, I get one airmile credited to my freq. fly. acct.<br /><br />Sometime 2.<br /><br />.../GlitchGlitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14940000404613329056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35115061.post-77002352476826145192009-05-22T16:37:13.842-04:002009-05-22T16:37:13.842-04:00This was a tough one for me. I had PILTDOWNLAD (a ...This was a tough one for me. I had PILTDOWNLAD (a variation I have heard) and PHINEAS- but was able to cobble together hte NW off of SDS, AMID, and my mistakes. Also got the SE without too much difficulty- although I put AMOEBA instead of AMEBAE- so that slowed me done. The rest of the puzzle was very hard for me, but I was able to slowly build from clue to clue.Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06300385702200589764noreply@blogger.com